Hemingway Daiquiri

Hi, Friends of Cocktails! Today we’re traveling all the way to Cuba for a classic island cocktail: the Hemingway Daiquiri. This cocktail is named after American author Ernest Hemingway, who loved to explore the world and enjoy a well-crafted drink. On July 21st, he would have celebrated his 121st birthday, so this one’s for you, Ernest!

Hemingway spent a lot of time in Havana, where he was known as Papa Hemingway. He was a frequent guest at El Floridita, the bar famous for its frozen daiquiris and now also home to a life-sized bronze statue of him. When Hemingway tried his first daiquiri, he famously said, “That’s good, but I prefer it without sugar and with double rum.” The bartenders made a version just for him, called the Papa Doble, which was basically rum with a splash of lime juice.

Our version is a little easier on the sour palate, with grapefruit juice and a touch of sweetness, while still staying true to the original spirit of the Hemingway Daiquiri.

Hemingway Daiquiri:

• 60 ml (2 oz) Havana Club 3 Años

• 30 ml (1 oz) grapefruit juice

• 15 ml (1/2 oz) lime juice

• 1 barspoon Maraschino liqueur

• 1 barspoon simple syrup

To make the cocktail, we start with a big shaker filled with ice. Add all the ingredients into the shaker tin: Havana Club 3 Años rum, fresh grapefruit juice, lime juice, a barspoon of Maraschino liqueur, and a barspoon of simple syrup.

Shake everything together to chill and dilute slightly. While shaking, make sure your glass is nicely chilled. Strain the cocktail into the glass, and for garnish, use a strip of grapefruit peel to highlight the fresh citrus aromas.

The grapefruit juice brings tartness without adding too much sweetness, separating this drink from a classic Daiquiri. Maraschino adds fruity cherry notes, and the lime balances both the rum and grapefruit beautifully. Havana Club 3 Años gives the cocktail character without overpowering the other flavors, making it a perfectly balanced drink.

This is a bitter cousin of the classic Daiquiri, but the fruity and tart notes complement the rum wonderfully. It’s a cocktail Hemingway himself would surely have approved of. And if you ever make it to Cuba, don’t miss the chance to try a daiquiri at El Floridita—it’s always cocktail time there!

¡Salud!

#hemingway #daiquiri #rum